Trump and Harris at odds over presidential debate

In the United States, the race for the presidency is heating up as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris prepare for their first debate. However, the two candidates are not on the same page regarding the date and the network that will host the debate. Kamala Harris's campaign is advocating for the debate to be held on ABC News on September 10. This date was originally set for a debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, but since President Biden has withdrawn from the race, Harris believes it is now her opportunity to debate Trump. Conversely, Trump insists that the ABC debate is no longer valid due to Biden's exit and is pushing for a debate on Fox News on September 4 instead. The presidential election is scheduled for November 5, and both candidates are eager to present their cases to the American voters. The disagreement over the debate dates arose after President Biden announced his withdrawal from the race on July 21, which positioned Kamala Harris as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. This has been a tumultuous month in U. S. politics, with television networks actively negotiating with both campaigns to finalize the debate arrangements. On Friday evening, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to announce that he had accepted Fox News' proposal for a debate on September 4, which is set to take place in Pennsylvania, a crucial state in the election. He mentioned that the moderators for the debate would be Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum from Fox News, and that the rules would be similar to those used in his previous debate with Biden. Trump also stated that if Harris is unwilling or unable to participate in the debate on that date, he has agreed with Fox to hold a major Town Hall event on the same evening. He further explained that the previous agreement for the debate on September 10 has been canceled because Biden is no longer in the race and due to a conflict of interest stemming from his ongoing defamation case against the network. In response, the Harris campaign accused Trump of being 'scared' and attempting to back out of the debate they had previously agreed upon. They argued that he is seeking assistance from Fox News, a network known for its conservative leanings, to avoid facing Harris. Michael Tyler, the communications director for the Harris campaign, stated that Trump needs to stop playing games and show up for the debate on September 10, as he had committed to. Harris herself took to social media to express her thoughts, pointing out the irony in how Trump's claim of being ready to debate 'anytime, any place' has now turned into a specific date and a 'safe space' for him. She affirmed her commitment to being present for the debate on September 10, as agreed. The Harris campaign has indicated that they are open to discussing additional debates, but only after the initial debate takes place. The anticipation surrounding the next debate is high, as many are eager to see how the two candidates will perform against each other. On Friday, Harris secured enough pledges to officially become the Democratic nominee for president. During a campaign rally in Atlanta, she directly challenged Trump to debate her, stating, 'If you have something to say, say it to my face. ' This debate news comes on the heels of a report from the Homeland Security Department, which revealed that the U. S. Secret Service made errors in their response to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. At that time, Harris, who was the vice president-elect, was alarmingly close to a 'viable' pipe bomb that had been placed outside the Democratic National Committee's headquarters in Washington. This bomb, along with another found at the Republican National Committee headquarters, was left near the buildings the night before Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. The identity of the person who planted the bombs remains unknown, adding another layer of intrigue to the current political climate.